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Friday, March 8, 2013

Arati puja

In addition to the two constant nadas, I keep seeing little things out of the corner of my eye.

The nada helps my mind. It doesn't have to keep figuring out over and over if my whole life is on a new level (of "attainment"). The nada started when it all started a few months ago, and has been continuous since then. It isn't as loud now. It's barely there, then becomes a little louder when I focus on it. It still changes sometimes. For awhile it was a "ghetto bird," then a cicada (which is funny because I don't like the noise of cicadas, a very loud insect).

A few days again, during my new puja, (I started performing arati daily, a little over a week ago), when I performed arati, on the last circle of the flame I focused in on my subtle mind, and a very bright "flame" flew out and down into my body (visual only, no warmth or sensation).

I love the look of spiritual concentration, or dhyana, on the brahmins' faces in these photos of evening arati at one of the ghats (stairs down to the Ganges River) in Varanasi, India. (I remember this feeling of relaxed, super-focused, very clear buddhi (mind) when I "waved the lights").

Four main schools of Hinduism

In SHAIVISM, Shiva is worshiped as the supreme form of God. In VISHNAIVISM, Vishnu is supreme, and Krishna and Ram are incarnations of Vishnu. In SHAKTISM,the various forms of the Devi, or Goddess, are worshiped as supreme. In SMARTISM, one chooses a preferred deity, called Ishta Devata.

Who is Shiva?

SHIVATHE DESTROYER??

The Trimurti of Vishnaivism:Brahma and Shiva with Lord Vishnu

Worship of The Supreme Lord as Vishnu is called Vishnaivism. In Vishnaivism, Brahma the Creator, and Shiva is the Destroyer (force of dissolution) are led by Vishnu the Sustainer. This is called the Trimurti of Vishnaivism.

Lord Shiva

Worship of the Supreme Lord as Shiva is called Shaivism. In Shaivism, Shiva performs all five divine functions: creator, sustainer, dissolver, concealer and revealer.

Harihara: Shiva and Vishnu as One

Many Hindus recognize that Vishnu and Shiva are the same deity.

Dualism or non-dualism?

WHAT IS REAL?DVAITA dualism ~ God is real, everything else (the universe) is REAL too, but the universe is NOT GOD. The goal: dispelling of ignorance replaced by devotion to God, and freedom from reincarnation.

ADVAITA non-dualism (Vedanta) ~ God is real, everything else (the universe) is ILLUSION and NOT GOD. The goal: withdraw from deceptive world of the senses and merge with God while alive (realization).

PARADVAITA non-dualism (Kashmir Shaivism) ~ God is real, everything else—the universe, me, you—are REAL, and GOD. Everything is God. The goal: recognize God as my self and all of the universe; merge with God while alive (realization) through grace.